Marilyn & Bob wrote:

We have a half a dozen X-10 type wall switches controlling CF bulbs. CF
bulbs require special X-10 type switches that need both a hot and a neutral
input. In all but one case the switch box has the neutral wire, but in one
case it does not. That switch controls a track light system with five
lights. Currently, I have a regular X-10 switch in that box and use one or
two incandescent bulbs out of the five and it works fine. Still I would
like to run all five bulbs as CF, so I need the special switch. The switch
box is grounded (BX cable) but has not neutral. In this special case that
requires very little current for very short periods, can I safely connect
the neutral terminal on a switch to the ground? As an analogy, lighted
switches use the ground as the "return" circuit, but the current demand,
while longer term is very low.


The sign on my office wall reads, "There is no right way to do the wrong
thing."


It is NOT code compliant to use the ground for a return on lighted
switches, even though some hacks do so. If the circuit had a GFCI
breaker feeding it, that breaker might even trip on the switch bulb
current flowing to ground, but maybe not, depending on how bright a
pilot lamp the switch uses.

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.